


Habits

by phenixxx



Series: True Mates [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, How Do I Tag, M/M, Omega Verse, True Mates, noctis is kinda an idiot, prompto is too though, prompto plays the flute
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-10-12
Packaged: 2018-11-19 04:23:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11305605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phenixxx/pseuds/phenixxx
Summary: All afternoon, all evening. Noctis’ phone never left his hand. He kept sending messages, ‘plz tell me ur ok,’ ‘hello,’ ‘plz talk to me.’ He knew he shouldn’t sound this needy, this clingy, but it was nearing the twelve hour mark. Noctis had locked himself in his room, denying anyone else entry, refusing to answer when people talked to him. He just needed to know Prompto was okay. One message, and it would set all his worries to rest.Prompto's gone, and things go wrong.





	1. Chapter 1

The rain came down harder than it had in a long while; hard enough to knock leaves off the trees. The wind was enough to blow them away, picking up the few pieces of trash that hadn’t made it into the garbage cans. Sidewalks disappeared under huge, bright umbrellas, trying to keep as many people dry as they could. But the thunder was far off, and there was no lightning. The storm had not hit the city of Insomnia, it merely received side effects.

Students were bundled up in their classrooms, making small chit chat as they waited out their lunch period. The sounds of lunch boxes, packages, drinks being opened mingled in with the flow of voices and footsteps like they all belonged together. Doors were opened, windows were cracked, all enjoying the sound and the smell of the rain, but also enjoying the dry warmth of the school building. Spring time had arrived.

Noctis sat alone in his corner, picking at the food Ignis had sent with him for lunch that day, phone in his hand. He’d grown used to wearing the high collared shirt after a few months, and makeup wasn’t as common as it used to be, to his disappointment. The air around him was quiet, and lacked the comforting scent that’s on him almost as much as his father’s, or Gladio’s. The chair in front of his desk was empty, pushed into its rightful place under its desk.

Prompto wasn’t in school.

It wasn’t a shock, Noctis knew he wouldn’t be here, but it still tugged at his heart none the less. He’d been told multiple times by the alpha, even received a text message that morning as a reminder. The blond had said something came up, and that he would be gone for a few days. He’d said not to worry about it, that it wasn’t important.

Noctis hadn’t told anyone for the simple fact that he was upset that he didn’t know where Prompto was going. He knew it wouldn’t be hard to figure it out, that he could easily obtain the information he wanted to know, but that would be going against Prompto’s wishes. If the alpha didn’t want his omega to know what he was doing, Noctis had no right to try and pry the information out of him, regardless of his status as a Prince and Prompto as a commoner.

So Noctis sat quietly, phone in hand, eyes staring at the screen as he waited patiently for the other to text him back. Very few messages had been sent between the two that morning, and it had been a few hours since he’d heard from the other. Not that he should be concerned, Prompto’s last message said he wouldn’t have his phone for a few hours, that he would contact the raven as soon as he did, but Noctis still worried all the same.

He waited patiently, watching the screen, watching the clock. Every second felt like forever, and eventually lunch period came to an end. No word from the blond boy. Noctis waited until the very last second before he had to get up and throw his lunch away, one of the last to do so. Then he shuffled back to his chair, phone still clutched tightly in his hand. He paid no mind that people were starting to stare at him, paid no mind that he was physically pouting. Once in his chair, he laid his forehead on his desk, chair pushed back enough that he could look down at the phone in his hands.

Three hours. It had been three hours.

He was starting to get fidgety. He was starting to worry. Bless the Six he was still on suppressants, the last thing he needed was his distress filling the entire room. His teacher was back, but he paid no mind. He kept his eyes on his phone. Being the prince had its perks, for the teacher left him alone.

The lecture was over, still nothing.

The next lecture, still nothing.

He hadn’t heard from him in so long. He wanted to text him, he wanted to send so many messages asking if he was alright, asking if he was in trouble, or if he needed help. When classes were finally over and he still hadn’t heard anything, he caved. Before he left his classroom, he sent a quick, ‘ _prom u ok?’_

Nothing.

When he got in the car with Ignis, the man looked at him questioningly, asking why the blond wasn’t accompanying him. He made some lame excuse about work, then crawled in the car, phone still clutched tightly between his fingers. Noctis knew Ignis didn’t believe him, and if he could see himself from Ignis’ perspective, it wouldn’t take him long to piece it together. Noctis obviously looked upset, and the lack of blond was obviously the reason.

All afternoon, all evening. Noctis’ phone never left his hand. He kept sending messages, ‘ _plz tell me ur ok,’ ‘hello,’ ‘plz talk to me.’_ He knew he shouldn’t sound this needy, this clingy, but it was nearing the twelve hour mark. Noctis had locked himself in his room, denying anyone else entry, refusing to answer when people talked to him. He just needed to know Prompto was okay. One message, and it would set all his worries to rest.

He wouldn’t believe you if four months ago you told him he would meet his alpha and would feel lost without him. Noctis had never been good with feelings, never really cared, or thought he would care. He did care, truly he did, but the raven had never been good at expressing his feelings. Always had them locked up, always said the wrong thing, or avoided things entirely.

But now, he didn’t know what to do. Prompto and Noctis had been destined to be together, and with his mark, of course Noctis would be a little more sensitive when the other wasn’t near him. Prompto had become his support, his comfort. He was his other half, literally, and the raven didn’t expect his disappearance to affect him this much.

As midnight rolled around, Noctis laid in his bed, covers bundled up around him, phone so close to his face. He had sent so many messages, and still, nothing. ‘ _Prom?’_

His phone went off. Ringing, it was _ringing!_ A phone call.

“Prompto!”

“Noct! I’m so sorry! I was out much later than I thought, are you okay?”

He was okay, _he was okay!_ Noctis couldn’t stop the tears that started falling down his cheeks. His hand cupped his mouth as he sobbed into it. Prompto was okay.

“Noct…I really am sorry.”

“No, no, it’s okay, I…I’m okay… I just…miss you.” He tried to convey his smile, the relief he felt. He wanted nothing more than to wrap the other in his arms, to fell the blond locks in between his fingers, the warmth of his skin, his heartbeat. Oh how he wanted him. And he knew Prompto knew it when he heard that chuckle in his ear.

“Yeah, I miss you too.”

-o-

The next day was a little easier. Still no Prompto, but the messages were more plentiful. Their conversation the night before had set Noctis at ease. He still didn’t know where the blond was, but he had been promised he would keep his phone on him. They’d been texting all day.

By day three, attention was being drawn to him. Students were starting to mumble about the prince smiling at his phone throughout class, and how he always seemed to be texting someone. Whispers of him being upset, about the blond kid being absent, were starting to float in the air and through the halls. If Noctis paid a bit more attention to his surroundings, he probably would’ve been aware of this fact. He probably would’ve noticed the group of students near him who planned to take a peek at just who he was texting. And he probably would’ve been more careful when a female classmate asked for his notes and locked his phone instead of leaving it facing upward, where the girl could see, when he reached for his notes.

He figured the giggles when she went back to her group of friends had to do with the fact that she had talked to him, one of the very few girls who actually had the courage to, and brushed it aside. If he had paid a bit more attention, he would’ve noticed just how they were looking at him, just how they were talking. But his phone went off once again, and all of Noctis’ attention was drawn back toward his alpha.

-o-

It didn’t take much. All it took was for that group of girls to follow Noctis after school, for the one girl to call out his name, and to return his notes to him. They were outside the school building, and Noctis thanked her with a smile before returning his attention to his phone as he headed toward his car. But that little exchange was caught by none other than Dino Ghiranze, a sleezebag of a journalist working for the trashiest magazine company in Insomnia. Half of their stories weren’t true, but they got it published first, and it didn’t take long for their rumor spreading company to rise to popularity.

Once the prince was gone, Dino called out to the girl, offering his best smile.

“The name’s Dino, ya local journalist. Hey, uh, you know da Prince?”

The girl flushed, and he knew this was easy pickings. He got all the information he could about the prince, and something he didn’t know he was looking for.

“Prince Noctis doesn’t talk to many people. I’ve only ever seen him talk to the new kid. Seems to be texting him a lot too.”

Dino’s eyebrow raised. “Say, do ya mind telling me about that?”

The girl shrugged her shoulders, not thinking twice about telling the man before her what she knew. It’s not as if the two had been hiding their friendship, almost everyone in the school knew about it. So she told him everything she’d witnessed, and Dino ate it up.

-o-

That evening, Noctis had been called in by his father to have diner. As they sat at the table, the King asked about Prompto. It had been a few weeks since he had seen him last, but a few months since they had sat down to have a proper discussion. Noctis answered like he always did, saying that he was good. That they were good.

Dinners were always made awkward rather quickly with his father. Noctis knew he only wanted what was best for him, that he loved him, but the raven always felt guilty when they spoke. He knew he wasn’t the prince he was supposed to be, knew he wasn’t the alpha he was raised to be. And he knew that his father felt bad for keeping that secret from him. No matter how much Noctis said it wasn’t a big deal, he could feel his father’s guilt, which in turn made him feel guilty. It was a flaw within him that he knew he couldn’t fix. One he knew would have to be kept under the rug, because he was the prince, the only heir. And one day, he would have to step up and take the throne.

Before Noctis opened his mouth to only make matters worse, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Pulling it out, he took a quick glance at the screen, face instantly falling. The text was from Prompto, but it only bared bad news.

“What is it, son?”

“Uh, nothing. Just…Prompto’s been out of town. He was supposed to be back tomorrow, but…looks like there’s been a change of plans.”

“Oh, so that’s why you’ve been moping. Where has he gone?”

It was the one question Noctis didn’t want to hear. It was the reason he hadn’t told anyone Prompto had left in the first place. And it was the reason he slid his phone back in his pocket without replying, eyes slightly downcast. Noctis had no idea. He couldn’t even pretend to know what had taken the boy away for more than a day. Most of the towns in Lucis only took a few hours to get to from Insomnia, a day ride at most to get from one side of the kingdom to the other. Unless Prompto left Lucis, it didn’t make sense why he wasn’t back yet.

Why didn’t Noctis know? Why wouldn’t Prompto tell him?

“Uh, traveling, for…work. His studio wanted some pictures of the land, asked if Prompto could help out.”

Yeah, that sounded realistic, his father would believe that. Ignoring the fact that Prompto was still in school, school was still in session, and Noctis was a horrible liar when it came to his father. He never could look him in the eye, and he always figured his dad knew when he wasn’t telling the truth, but he never pushed it.

King Regis simply nodded his head, mouth opened slightly in realization, and went back to his meal. The rest of their meal played out in small talk and silverware on plates. They ate some of Ignis’ pastries for desert, bid each other a goodnight, then Noctis left for his room.

He finally replied to the text when he was bundled up in his covers. A simple sad face. Then a phone call.

“Hey Prom.”

“Hey, Noct. Sorry for not being able to come back tomorrow. Things didn’t go as planned today, but everything should be finished up in a few days.”

There’s a hint of guilt in Prompto’s voice, and Noctis can’t help but feel bad too. Prompto wouldn’t feel the way he did if it wasn’t for him. He’s the one that wants the other to come back quickly. Without him, Prompto would be free to do as he wished, when he wished.

“Stop.”

“What?”

“Feeling bad.”

Noctis pulls his phone away from his ear, looking down at the screen with a raised eyebrow. He hadn’t said anything, so why was—

“Noct, we’re bonded, remember?”

The raven sat up in bed, bringing the phone back to his ear and placing his free hand on his mark, fingers feeling the permanent indent in his skin.

“Wait, so does that mean you can feel what I’m feeling? Like, this entire time?”

There’s a chuckle from the other end of the line. “Yeah. Wasn’t able to feel much at first, just a few things here and there. Still not able to feel everything, but it’s getting stronger.”

Noctis started laughing at the realization. It made sense. Prompto had always seemed to be in sync with him. No matter the situation, Prompto always knew how to turn his mood around, or when to back off of a certain subject and just be there with him. Whenever Noctis needed something, Prompto was always able to provide, like it was second nature. A hug, laughter, a distraction, or just sitting together in silence. He’d always just assumed he’d been an easy read, but that didn’t make much sense when he thought about it now. No one else had ever been able to read him like Prompto could, and others had known him for way longer.

A frown formed on his brow. “But I can’t feel what you feel?”

A knowing sigh. “I know. It’s because I’m the alpha, and I’m supposed to take care of my omega.”

“But I can-”

“I know you can take care of me too. Times are changing, and there are a lot of omegas who are seen as equal to their alphas, but a lot of people still go the more traditional route. Omegas aren’t seen to be as fragile as they once were, but most still let themselves be taken care of mentally and physically by their alphas. Just like it was long ago, when an omega’s only job was to submit to their alpha and let their alpha take care of everything. Because of this, DNA wise, when a pair mate, alphas eventually gain access to their mate’s entire mind. It’s why I have access to yours. I won’t, like, pry or anything. But, I do allow myself to feel what you feel.”

Noctis let the information sink in. His entire mind would eventually be an open book to Prompto, and there’s nothing he can do about it. He can’t stop the process, and he can’t make Prompto stop looking in, because the blond isn’t at fault either. It’s just something they’re both part of now, fault only landing on their DNA.

The raven doesn’t think it’ll bother him. He knows Prompto can’t see everything now, but so far they’ve been good together. Prompto has never once overstepped any boundaries. The only thing that does slightly bother him, is the fact that he’s the only one being taken care of. Noctis will never have an inside look of the blond’s mind. He’ll only ever know what Prompto tells him. Yes, by being around each other, Noctis will eventually pick some things up, but he’ll never know, like Prompto will know. What if he can’t become the mate Prompto deserves because he messes everything up, oversteps boundaries, causes tension he doesn’t know he’s causing?

“Hey, Noct?”

“Yeah?”

“I know that, I’m your alpha and all, but, don’t even think that I’ll ask or expect you to submit to me. I know that…that that can’t happen. Especially with you being the prince and all…heh..”

There’s something there, in Prompto’s voice. A mix of emotions. The only one Noctis thinks he can pick out is disappointment, but he’s not entirely sure. He understands that his position puts them in an awkward place, in a mess of secrets, but it’s what has to be done. He knows that. So does Prompto. But the emotion hidden away, that little jumble of feelings that slipped out when Prompto spoke to him… He doesn’t understand, so he doesn’t think about it.

“Prom, my family has always followed tradition. I was raised to be the one in charge, but that’s obviously not the case, and I’m not going to be the one to break tradition. Prince or not, you’re my alpha, and I’ll do as you ask.”

“Thanks, Noct.” There’s something in his voice, but Noctis doesn’t think he knows what it is either.

-o-

It starts raining the next morning on the way to school. Gentle, a little heavier than a sprinkle, but not enough to drench anyone. Noctis pays no mind to it as he walks to class, phone in hand and typing away. Just a few more days and he won’t be alone anymore. Just a little longer; he can wait. He pays no mind, missing the photographer standing across the street, snapping away, catching the way Noctis looks at his phone, the smile, catching the high collared shirt, even with high humidity. He misses the smile that crosses Dino’s face as he tucks his camera away and heads back toward his company.

The story’s written up while Noctis is in school. Pictures evaluated, the girl's words stringing a timeline together, actions, knowledge, guesses. He gathers all information on Noctis. He searches Prompto, even calling up the school and gaining all he can. He looks for connections, he looks for gaps, he looks for anything he can. Everything the older man can think of, he jots it all down. It takes him a few hours, going over everything over and over and over again.

The boy, Prompto, is an alpha.

Noctis’ behavior toward this alpha.

The smiles, the text messages.

More than friends, definitely.

Dina goes back over the pictures he has. Looking over the ones he took that morning, and the ones taken of Noctis a few months ago, the ones taken half a year ago. He’s looking for something, anything out of the ordinary. Flipping back and forth from one photo to the next to the next, it takes him a few minutes to realize it.

The collar.

Noctis never wore high collared shirts before.

Looking at the dates, he pinpoints the introduction of the high collared shirt to a few months ago. Right around the same time Prompto moved to Insomnia.

But what does it mean?

It’s late in the evening now, and Dino is still sitting at his desk. He’s worked his way through half a pack of cigarettes, tie hanging loose around his neck, top three buttons of his shirt undone. There’s got to be a connection. There just has to be. Dino goes through the pictures, goes through the information he’s gathered, goes through the story the girl told him.

Half way through his eleventh cigarette, it clicks.

Alpha, high collar, Noctis leaving school the day Prompto arrives, them being more than friends.

It’s all starting to make sense.

Dino jumps out of his chair, laughing as it all finally comes together. He throws his hands in the air, yelling as he realizes he’s going to be the one to write the biggest story of the year.

Of course Noctis is wearing a high collar, of course he’s been talking to Prompto, of course, of course, of course!

Because Prompto is an alpha.

And Noctis Lucis Caelum, the Prince of Insomnia, has been marked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am a huge believer than Noct is a horrible texter and shortens everything because it takes less time.
> 
> Not exactly sure how long I want to make this, but it probably won't be more than five chapters.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto cried, harder than he had in a while. Well, than he had allowed himself to. He felt so weak, knew he was the worst possible choice as an alpha. All he wanted was to get away from all the pressure to be perfect, something he knew he wasn’t, something he knew he could never be. But in doing so, in leaving his omega alone, he had hurt him.
> 
> He was scum, the lowest of the low.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Freakin Episode Prompto is the reason this is out as late as it is. The feels from that man. It tore me up inside.
> 
> AND THAT EPISODE IGNIS TRAILER! I'm not ready.
> 
> Prompto is absolutely so precious to me, and the feels I got from Episode Prompto kinda helped fuel this chapter.
> 
> To all of those who have left kudos or comments, thank you so much! your feedback really means a lot to me and it is greatly appreciated!

Prompto felt horrible. He really did.

But what was he supposed to do? What could he do? It’s not like he had much of a choice in the matter. Well, maybe he did, but not one that had been easy to make.

Obviously it hadn’t been. How could it be?

His life was fantastic. Greater than it had ever been, and almost guaranteed to only get better from this point on. He had done something less than five percent of the population accomplishes in their lifetime. And he was only eighteen. He still had a lifetime to go, so many years left to spend with his True Mate. His one and only.

But it was because of this that he was in his current predicament. It was the reason he was in this hole, the reason his mind started to clutter with the black fog once again. The one that dripped off of the dark creature with the piercing yellow eyes, the ones that stared into his soul, and the pointed fangs that were soaked in negativity. Or possibly truth. Prompto didn’t know for sure. He was almost certain it was truth.

So many people had told him his thoughts were negative, that he over thought so many things and that he blew stuff out of the water. That he was sweet, and kind, and funny.

He knew he was, he made himself that way.

Because those fangs dripped with the truth that he would never be good enough, no matter what he did. The truth that he would always end up alone, and that no one really wanted him. The truth that people kept him around because he was funny, but that one day, they would grow tired of him, pushing him off to the side. The truth of every drop landing and shattering his mind once again. Over and over.

Prompto knew it to be true. He knew that the eyes that pierced into his soul were meant to break him, because he was weak. He had always been weak, always relied on others way too much. The blond was a sorry excuse of an alpha, and others made it known. He was never good in fights, lacked simple self-control, and was always pushed to the back.

He would never be good enough to be top alpha. He knew that. Prompto knew that like the back of his own hand.

And apparently the Gods knew it too.

Prompto laughed at his fate, knew others would laugh at it too if it ever got out.

Prompto Argentum, alpha and True Mate to none other than Noctis Lucis Caelum, Prince and the next Alpha of Alphas.

What was he to do? What could he do?

It didn’t take a genius to know he couldn’t come out as Noctis’ mate. There was no way. An omega on the throne? It was political suicide. It was a one way ticket to war, basically an open path for other kingdoms to tear you to shreds, even if Noctis was as strong as he was, blessed with the magic that ran through his bloodline. An omega never took the throne, never in history. Well, at least, an omega’s never taken the throne and lasted more than six months with their kingdom still intact.

Politically, it was impossible. But Prompto knew it was also a pride thing. The Caelum bloodline had been so strong, so blessed, they were known as the Alphas of Alphas. Everyone had been top dog, the almighty, never one to back down, and never one to lose. For so many years, so many generations, an alpha has sat at the throne. King Regis sat there currently, but he knew it wouldn’t be long before Noctis took over. It was Noctis’ fate, and there was no way he would let his father down.

Just knowing Noctis would let anyone in on that fact, but Prompto knew it on a deeper level. The bond he shared with the other, the thoughts and the feelings he could now feel, it let Prompto know so much more. More than anyone would ever hint at, more than anyone would ever say, and more than Noctis would ever let on.

Noctis’ fate was to be pitied, but it was one they would keep secret.

Maybe that’s why Prompto did it. Everything he knew about himself, everything he was learning about Noctis, it was all too much.

Their fates didn’t collide well, the two didn’t mash together, as ironic as it was.

Maybe at first, Prompto had been under some false illusion that everything would work out fine between them. That they would grow to love each other, and that they would get their happily ever after. Maybe if Prompto hadn’t been born an alpha, and Noctis had. Maybe if Noctis hadn’t been born royalty, or Prompto hadn’t been born a commoner. Maybe if literally anything was different, if they weren’t True Mates, things would’ve really been okay.

But it wasn’t. Because things were the way they were. And there was nothing anyone could do to change that.

All of this hit the poor boy hard, and he collapsed under the pressure. Those yellow eyes, the dripping fangs, his shattered mind. He had to get away.

Maybe if his head wasn’t full of fog again, maybe if Noctis didn’t have to hide his mark, maybe if Prompto was a stronger alpha, maybe he wouldn’t have run away.

But it wasn’t. And he did.

Prompto felt awful, truly, terribly awful.

Partly because once he got away, he could breathe. He could feel the air around him, and the weight from his shoulders was gone. There were no more calculated steps, no more making sure they didn’t act too friendly, no more making sure they weren’t followed. There were no more secret calls from Ignis telling him what he could and couldn’t do, no more backing off, fighting his own instinct when females or males came up to talk to Noctis, no more keeping his alpha nature in check. There was no more hiding. Being away, Prompto was free to be Prompto, no matter how weak and lame he was.

The other part of him that felt awful became known to him when he stopped texting Noctis. When the reminders of everything he was trying to get away from kept coming back every time his phone went off. He told Noctis he wouldn’t have his phone for a few hours, and for those few hours he felt like he could relax. When the time was up, he wasn’t ready to let go of the peace yet. But that’s when Noctis started to worry.

He could feel it, the panic that started to rise within Noctis. He could feel the worry. It wasn’t bad at first, and so Prompto tried to push it to the back of his mind. Noctis was strong, he would be okay.

But it didn’t get easier as the day went on. Noctis was really starting to worry, and every emotion he felt, every thought he had was wrapping itself around Prompto’s heart and crushing it. The blond tried everything he could to block it all out. He turned off his cellphone, he blasted music in his headphones, he went for a run. But none of it could keep Noctis’ feelings at bay. They were always there, hitting him full force.

It was the middle of the afternoon when he gave up trying. He let himself crawl into bed, and he let himself feel what the other felt.

Prompto cried, harder than he had in a while. Well, than he had allowed himself to. He felt so weak, knew he was the worst possible choice as an alpha. All he wanted was to get away from all the pressure to be perfect, something he knew he wasn’t, something he knew he could never be. But in doing so, in leaving his omega alone, he had hurt him.

He was scum, the lowest of the low.

Trying to distance himself from the other without telling him where he was going, what he was doing, it was all coming back to bite him in the ass. And as he laid there crying, all he could see were those piercing yellow eyes.

“You deserve this. You deserve all the pain. How could you do this to your mate? How could you make him feel like this?”

_Shut up, shut up!_

“Noctis has done nothing wrong. He deserves someone better than you. Someone who’ll be there for him, someone strong enough to take care of him.”

_I know that! Don’t you think I know that!_

His hands were tearing at his hair now, finger nails digging so deep into his skin, pulling away the layers and allowing the blood to flow. Those nails dragging down this face, picking at his neck, clawing at his wrists. He wanted nothing more than to leave his body, to leave his mind, behind.

Prompto wanted to get away from it all.

He knew he was weak. He knew Noctis deserved better. The raven hadn’t done anything wrong, he’d never done anything wrong. Nothing was his fault, the pain he was feeling wasn’t his fault. It was all Prompto, it had always been Prompto.

The blond simply wasn’t cut out for this sort of life.

The sun was long set in the sky when Prompto turned on his phone again. He was exhausted, his eyes were red, and dry, and itchy, cheeks stiff from tears dried long ago. The boy had finally caved.

Noctis didn’t deserve him.

He turned on his phone. A text message, accompanied by so many others. He decided to call, put on his normal voice, and set the other at ease.

-o-

The next day was only slightly less worse than the previous day. He had promised to keep in contact, so those little reminders kept coming, at most the blond only received a forty-five minute break. He still felt awful, he could still hear Noctis’ thoughts, he could still feel the worry and the irritation that Noctis didn’t know where he was, but Noctis never asked, and Prompto didn’t want to tell.

He knew he couldn’t really take a break from his life, but he also knew that if Noctis knew where he was, the raven would come to him.

Prompto didn’t want that. Not while he was as weak and pathetic as he was.

So he never told him, simply saying he would be home in a few days.

-o-

By the end of the third day away, Prompto was a mess. He could barely get himself out of bed, he’d collapsed on his morning run, and the bags under his eyes were so deep he feared he’d never be able to get rid of them.

The more he thought about his return, about having to hide himself again… It was tearing him apart inside.

But Noctis was happy. He could feel it. The raven was so ready for his return.

It tore him in two when he told Noctis he wasn’t coming back tomorrow.

Prompto just couldn’t return yet, not in this state. What would Noctis think of him? What would King Regis think of the boy his son was left to? Or Ignis, or Gladio? Or any of the alphas that surrounded Noctis on a daily basis? They would call him weak. Not directly to his face of course, but it would be clear to see on their faces, in their eyes. He would be an embarrassment to Noctis.

Prompto couldn’t even take care of himself, how the hell was he supposed to take care of the prince? It would be the question they all asked.

The blond knew if they weren’t True Mates, his claim to Noctis would be challenged, even if the others didn’t want him as their own mate. And Prompto know that he would lose, and their bond would be broken, and he would never be able to see him again.

Prompto didn’t want that, never wanted that. Just the thought made his stomach twist in on itself.

So he had to get better. He had to be better, be stronger. For Noctis.

-o-

Their phone call that night had been one they both needed for two different reasons. Noctis hadn’t known of Prompto being able to feel what he felt, and now he did. The raven had seemed to be okay with it, and Prompto was glad. He had been given permission, though he technically didn’t need it, but it was there. Prompto was glad to have it, glad to know what he was doing wasn’t making Noctis upset, or going behind his back.

And Prompto, he let stuff slip. It was on accident, and he didn’t think Noctis caught the full meaning of it all, but it didn’t matter. Noctis had given him permission to be alpha. Even if it meant absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things, even if it meant he could only be alpha behind closed doors, when they were both locked away, and the city was asleep, and no one would ever know. There was relief when he thanked him. Prompto knew very well Noctis had no idea why he was being thanked, but it mattered not.

Noctis had no idea of the stress his life was putting on Prompto. But Prompto was never going to tell him.

Noctis wasn’t an alpha, his instincts were not being stepped on and thrown in a corner like Prompto’s were. They weren’t being pushed down into submission, held up in a place they were never meant to be in, like Prompto’s were. Noctis’ skin would be perfect, because there was no alpha inside him that tried to claw its way out, or kept him from sleeping with inner rage. There was no alpha that wanted to just bust out, lay claim to its omega for the entire world to see, and rise back to the top where it belonged.

Noctis did not feel any of this. He did not know such feelings were even possible. So Prompto placed no blame, sucked it up, and tried to sleep it off.

He wouldn’t dare allow himself to be troublesome for Noctis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this doesn't progress the story line, but Prompto's side of this has been sitting with me for a while. Not sure if I'll do another chapter in Prompto's POV, we'll see how it plays out. 
> 
> Not sure when the next chapter will be up. But I'm hoping within a week.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! Feel free to bother me on tumblr @phenixxxwrites


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Except that it wasn’t.
> 
> It was real life. Noctis knew it. Everyone in the room knew it. And apparently, the guy who wrote the story knew it too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow this took forever. I apologize.  
> shout out to Tin for checking this for me and making sure it was readable.

There were many things Noctis expected out of life.

He expected his room to remain pitch black even as the sun rose and beat down on his blackout curtains. He expected for his alarm to go off at precisely 6:30am, and for him to turn and slam his hand down on top of it, effectively turning it off. He also expected a text from Ignis fifteen minutes later telling him that he needed to get up. And the fact that Ignis would knock on his door at exactly 7:00am before entering and dragging the raven out of bed.

This was the normal morning routine. Noctis expected it. Every day, no matter what.

So when he turned off his alarm and went back to sleep, he was surprised to find himself waking up slowly, naturally. He was surprised to turn to his phone and see no message from Ignis. There was no message from Prompto either, which struck the teen as strange, considering it was past noon. Not even his normal ‘good morning:).’ But out of everything, the thing that stuck out most was a message from his father.

A simple text that screamed urgency.

‘ _Come see me when you wake up._ ’

Noctis didn’t expect this. He never expected this.

The raven crawled out of bed, moving to tug on a t-shirt before going to call his father. He wanted to know what was wrong and calling would be faster than walking. Ignis walked into the room before he called, the look on his face unreadable.

“Specs, what’s going on?”

Ignis simply sighed, pushing his glasses up on his nose as he looked at the ground. He held the door open, gesturing for the raven to walk with him. “Your father would like to speak with you.”

“Is something wrong?”

Guilt flashed across Ignis’ face for half a second, but it was enough for Noctis to notice it.

“Your father will explain.”

The raven tugged on a pair of sweatpants and his shoes before he left his bedroom, following Ignis down the hall. This was never something the raven expected. Never something he could ever imagine happening.

Ignis was silent. And not his normal annoyed silence, or the silence when he smirked because he knew something others didn’t, or when he gave the silent glare that spoke loud and clear Noctis was being an idiot.

No. This was something new, something Noctis had never experienced before in his life.

Ignis looked worried. Scared, even.

Something had to be very wrong.

-o-

When they made it to King Regis’ office, Ignis entered first. Gladio was already sitting in one of the chairs. The look he gave Noctis when he walked in the room made the raven’s steps falter. His shield looked sad, an emotion he never knew the man to ever show.

His father was sitting at his desk, elbows on the table and head in his hands. His face wasn’t shown, but his posture was enough to let Noctis know he was tense.

“Dad?” Noctis moved to the chair next to Gladio’s. Ignis closed the door behind him and moved to stand beside the raven. No one spoke, and Noctis was on the verge of losing it. “I need someone to tell me what is going on.” His voice came out flat, jaw tight. He almost sounded like authority.

King Regis simply shook his head, removing one hand from his face to slide something across the desk toward Noctis. “I’m so, so very sorry, my boy.”

Noctis stared at his father with confusion as he reached out and took hold of his father’s phone. It was opened to a news article. The boy only looked at it with confusion. They were royalty, they knew of everything that happened in the kingdom and elsewhere before anybody else did. They had no need to read news articles published, because every official news report had to go through their PR staff before it was given the OK.

When he looked at the others, no one was looking at him. Noctis didn’t really understand, and he opened his mouth to question, before closing it and turning his attention back to the phone. There had to be a reason he was being shown this, so he decided to look closer.

It was only when he scrolled down did he find the reason everyone was acting the way they were.

The article was speaking of a recent online magazine’s story. Really recent. As in, having been released to the public at 6:45 that morning. The raven clicked on the link to the magazine and was met with bold lettering.

**IS PRINCE NOCTIS A MARKED OMEGA?**

Noctis stared at the phone in disbelief. Mouth having fallen open, he clutched at the phone, knuckles turning white. He couldn’t believe this. What even was this? No one had to believe this right? It wasn’t official news. This was just some trashy story thrown together by some trashy magazine in order to make money. That’s all people would believe it to be. Of course they would. It was just a sad attempt to make money.

Except that it wasn’t.

It was real life. Noctis knew it. Everyone in the room knew it. And apparently, the guy who wrote the story knew it too.

His fingers subconsciously traveled upward toward his mark, brushing over the sensitive skin as his eyes started to burn. “What is this…?” His voice was barely above a whisper, shaky as it came out.

Gladio sighed as he reached over and took the phone out of Noctis’ hand. “It was released this morning. We had no idea, and we couldn’t put a stop to it. Sorry, kid.”

Ignis spoke next. “We only found out because it was being spoken about on the news this morning. Obviously, they aren’t confirming or denying anything. But it has raised questions. With the story being published online, it’s impossible to determine just how many people have seen it, and just how many believe it. While the source itself often post questionable stories, the evidence he has for this one is quite convincing.” He sighed, removing his glasses before pinching the bridge of his nose. “I do feel it is my fault. The changes we made weren’t subtle enough. Though I didn’t expect anyone to really catch on…”

Noctis looked over at his father who hadn’t spoken since he apologized. “Dad?”

The older man tensed, before finally releasing his face and making eye contact with his son. He looked exhausted, like he hadn’t slept at all the night before, and then the weight of the world came crashing down on him this morning. He looked like he was barely holding on, just barely keeping everything balanced on his shoulders. But he still tried to smile, still tried to reassure Noctis everything would be okay.

“No one has made a move yet, but we will get started on shutting this down. We can play it off as just another rumor.”

“Is Prom’s name mentioned?”

Everyone tensed, but no one moved to say anything. Noctis let it stay quiet for a minute before he asked again, louder this time. He was scared, he was worried, he was angry.

“Yes, son, Prompto’s name is mentioned.”

“Is there a picture of him?”

King Regis shook his head. “No, no picture. But your classmates know who Prompto is, and he isn’t impossible to track down on social media. It wouldn’t surprise me if pictures of him are already spreading.”

“Protect him.”

“Noct,” Ignis’ voice was cautious, “this story isn’t about him. Our job is to protect you. We need to make sure this is passed off as a rumor.”

“You will protect Prompto. This isn’t his fault, this isn’t his life, but this ‘rumor’ is about him too. An omega can’t mark themselves, can they? They will go after him just as they will go after us.”

“Noctis—”

“No! I won’t let them get to him!” He was standing now, shaking as he yelled. He told Prompto he could take care of him. He wouldn’t go back on his word.

Gladio grabbed his shoulders and turned him around forcefully so they were standing face to face, glaring down at him as he yelled. “Look, kid! You are our main concern! We get them to shut up about you, they shut up about Prompto! He isn’t here to be tracked down, you are!”

Noctis’ jaw snapped shut, anger easily taking over his features. He wanted nothing more than to tackle his shield to the ground. There had been no need to mention Prompto’s absence.

“Gladiolus.” King Regis’ voice was firm, final. He shut down the brute with one look. Exhaustion gone, jaw firm, Regis took on the true appearance of King, of the Top Alpha. Gladio let go of Noctis instantly, stepping away from the prince. “Prompto is my son’s Alpha, and will be treated with the same regard as Noctis. This is about both of them, so they will both be looked after.”

Both Ignis and Gladio placed their hands across their chests, bending at the waist in front of the king. “Yes, Your Majesty.” And then they left, not daring to look up at King Regis or Noctis.

Regis let out a sigh, falling back in his chair and pressing his fingertips into his temples. “Do not worry, Noctis. We will take care of this. I’d advise talking to Prompto about this yourself."

The raven simply nodded before turning to leave the room. He had a feeling Prompto already knew. Even if he hadn’t seen the article, he could feel what Noctis’ felt. He would know something was wrong. Noctis bit his lip, trying to push down the panic that started to bubble in him. He didn’t want Prompto to worry, so he bottled everything up, and shoved it away.

-o-

Gladio landed on the couch hard enough Ignis had to wonder how it wasn’t broken yet. The brute brought his hand to his face, fingers pressing into his eyes as a sigh left him. They had made their way to Ignis’ office, stopping to gather their thoughts and make a plan before moving to discuss the issue with others.

“What the hell are we supposed to do about all of this?”

Ignis let out a sigh, pushing his glasses up on his face before he took a seat at his desk. The PR staff had already left all current published reports regarding the article and a handful of plans in order to shut down the whole thing. Gladio reached over and grabbed some to look through, but he shook his head at them all.

“I’m afraid that simply making a statement won’t be enough to get us out of this one. We’ll have to take it a step further.” Ignis rubbed at his temples.

“Meaning?”

“Proof. We’ll have to show the public Noctis’ neck while he makes a statement that he isn’t…”

Gladio sighed, leaning back against the couch. “Exactly what he is: a marked omega.”

“Afraid so.”

Gladio grabbed one of the reports that talked about Prompto. “Poor kid. They never had a chance.”

Ignis placed his elbows on his desk, interlocking his fingers and setting his chin on them. He felt like a failure. Noctis and Prompto had already been figured out, and it had been all his fault. If he had taken different precaution, if he had thought more carefully about what he was doing, then maybe they wouldn’t be in this situation. Maybe Prompto and Noctis could have a semi-normal life together, out of the public eye.

Gladio sat up, hands on his knees to help push himself off the couch. “Prompto must be losing it.”

“What do you mean?” Ignis perked up.

Gladio raised an eyebrow before understanding crossed his face. “Alphas are dominant. We have this uncontrollable need to be in control. Once we’ve marked someone, it only gets worse. Marked omegas are almost always covered in their alpha’s scent, and their mark is shown off with pride.”

Ignis started at the other, still not understanding. He opened his mouth to say something when it clicked. Prompto had to stay hidden. Noctis couldn’t smell like the other, nor could he show off his mark. The male closed his eyes, forcing himself to keep his head from dropping.

“And by showing proof that Noctis isn’t marked, Prompto will be the one to suffer.”

“It’ll be a huge blow to his pride.” Gladio felt that is was something to make the male stronger, or it would give the blond a chance to prove himself, but he kept the information to himself.

Ignis sat back in his chair, removing his glasses and setting them gently on the desk. He was starting to piece together why Prompto had disappeared in the first place, and he was aware that Noctis most likely had no idea how hard things were getting for the blond. “They never stood a chance. What an understatement.”

-o- 

Noctis just stared at his phone when he made it back to his room. He could feel his panic rising, no matter what he tried to do to calm himself down. The need for his alpha was growing, and he wanted nothing more than to curl up in Prompto’s arms. To give himself completely to the blond and let him deal with everything.

But he knew he couldn't do that. One, Prompto wasn’t here. Two, this wasn’t Prompto’s mess to fix. It was his own.

Noctis took a deep breath, walking over to his bed and sitting down on the edge. Fingers brushed across sheets and latched onto Prompto’s pillow. It hadn’t been used by him in a while, but Noctis always had it out for the male. Slowly, he unlocked his phone and stared at his alpha’s contact. He was almost positive that the blond already knew what was going on. It was all over the internet, if he hadn’t picked it up from Noctis’ emotions already.

When he finally calmed himself enough to press the call button, Noctis closed his eyes as he brought the phone to his ear. Each ring felt like it lasted forever, and a slight panic started in the raven’s gut that Prompto wouldn’t even pick up. They had been talking, but what if Prompto didn’t have his phone again? What if Prompto heard about what happened from someone else? It was Noctis’ place to tell him. This was about them, no one else needed to know.

What if people treated Prompto differently because of what they heard? What if-

“Hey, Noctis.”

Noctis felt himself freeze. Prompto’s voice sounded weak, like he hadn’t slept in so long. Like the weight of the world was crushing him.

“P-prompto…” He thought the sound of his alpha’s voice would calm him, but it just made him feel guilty. This was his fault, wasn’t it? That he let himself get noticed, that he didn’t protect Prompto better.

Noctis cleared his throat, hand curling into a fist. He bit back his emotions, and told himself he wouldn’t let this affect Prompto anymore. “Have you heard the news?”

There was a pause. “Not exactly. I know you're upset, but I couldn’t tell what it was.”

The raven nodded his head. He figured Prompto had been busy with other things. Or that he was staying away from things because of how Noctis felt. Or maybe he had already heard the news. Prompto always was an early riser, and trashy magazines were his guilty pleasure.

“We’ve been found out. I’ve been found out…” Noctis kept his voice neutral, or attempted to at least. But he knew that Prompto saw right through it. He explained what he knew, about how convincing the article sounded. He had told the blond almost everything before his voice cracked, and his eyesight went blurry. “Prom…your name is mentioned. They're gonna go after you too.”

Noctis felt weak. He tried so hard to keep his tears from falling, to keep his voice even and his thoughts calm. But by talking it out, everything felt like it was coming at him in waves. He felt overwhelmed, and lonely. Hearing Prompto’s voice over the phone made him even more aware of how much he missed the other.

“I miss you, Prom. I want you here, so bad. I want you to come back to me.”

A sigh. “I know, Noct. I miss you, too. I want to be there for you, I really do. I want nothing more than to be there for you and to be someone you can rely on. I wish I could take all of this away from you and make your life as perfect as you deserve… But I can’t.” A pause. “Not yet, anyway.”

Noctis wanted to argue that Prompto needed to be here with him. That he needed to come back as fast as he could. But he knew better. Prompto had power in whatever he wanted to do. Noctis couldn’t make him do anything, no matter how he felt.

So he nodded his head. “I know. Just get back as soon as you can, yeah?" 

“Yeah.”

-o-

The rest of the day ticked by slowly for Noctis. Outside of his room, there were people discussing the best way to deal with the issue at hand. There were multiple staff delivering messages to and from PR, to Ignis, to the King, all being in different places in order to cope. More guards had been placed around the citadel as a just in case measure. A group of reporters were outside the gates, asking for a statement, but they didn’t attempt to push onto the property. 

Civilians who had heard the news were split into two groups: the group who believed the article, and the group who didn’t. Those who didn’t had faith that their King wouldn’t lie to them. _“King Regis already said Prince Noctis was an alpha, so why even pay attention to it.”_ Those who did were split into two further groups: those who understood why Regis wouldn’t have stated his son was an omega, and those who were angry they had been lied to.

Outside of Noctis’ room, life was still happening. People were forming opinions, people were working to shut down the truth and to spread a lie. Noctis’ life was being controlled outside of the door.

Inside though, where he was wrapped in his blankets on his bed, he let time tick by slowly. He had talked to Prompto for as long as he could before the blond said he had to go. Noctis felt happier than he would. He had convinced Prompto to come back in two days. The raven just had to go to sleep twice and his alpha would be back in his arms.

The male never thought he would miss someone this much. Noctis had never been much of an emotional person, unless he was pushed to the brink, but he had grown so close to Prompto, had come to rely on the other in ways he hadn’t been aware. Noctis still kept to himself about things, and his relationship with others hadn’t necessarily improved. But he was good with Prompto. Things were always okay with Prompto.

Noctis turned over on his side, blanket pulled tight around him, scrolling through responses about the magazine article. He found a very small group of people who supported him and Prompto. They argued that in this day and age, being an alpha or an omega shouldn’t matter, that it's not something you can control, and that no matter what Noctis is, they would support him as their future King.

It made him smile, to know that not everyone hated or was angry with him. Anonymously, he left a little like as a silent thank you. He disregarded the hate the group received, but he knew that was going to be the normal response.

Noctis being an omega was horrible for the kingdom. Noctis being the omega of a male alpha was horrible for the kingdom. If the kingdom even survived, there would be no heir. Civilians had already connected the dots. Noctis was horrible for the kingdom.

The raven turned his phone off and went to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it just kinda ends. I'm sorry. Prompto is back next chapter though!
> 
> I'm working on chapter 4 right now. No idea when it will be out because university sucks and takes up so much of my time. I'm trying to get in the habit (ha, jokes) of writing at least like three times a week.
> 
> Thank you again for all the commens, kudos, and bookmarks! They seriously make me want to cry, like wow people read my writing and actually like it. 
> 
> Feel free to say hi or fight me on tumblr @phenixxxwrites (where I just might possibly write other things too. one day)
> 
> also! not sure if I want to write another Prompto POV chapter. Tell me your thoughts?


End file.
